Motorcycle Safety Research Project: Interim Summary Report Research Deliverable 1: Investigate and Develop a Pre-Learner Motorcycle Licensing Package

Motorcycle trauma is a serious road safety issue in Queensland and throughout Australia. In 2009, Queensland Transport (later Transport and Main Roads or TMR) appointed CARRS-Q to provide a three-year program of Road Safety Research Services for Motorcycle Rider Safety. Funding for this research originated from the Motor Accident Insurance Commission. This program of research was undertaken to produce knowledge to assist TMR to improve motorcycle safety by further strengthening the licensing and training system to make learner riders safer by developing a pre-learner package (Deliverable 1 which is the focus of this report), and by evaluating the Q-Ride CAP program to ensure that it is maximally effective and contributes to the best possible training for new riders (Deliverable 2), which is the focus of this report. Deliverable 3 of the program identified potential new licensing components that will reduce the incidence of risky riding and improve higher-order cognitive skills in new riders. While fatality and injury rates for learner car drivers are typically lower than for those with intermediate licences, this pattern is not found for learner motorcycle riders. Learner riders cannot be supervised as effectively as learner car drivers and errors are more likely to result in injury for learner riders than learner drivers. It is therefore imperative to improve safety for learner riders. Deliverable 1 examines the potential for improving the motorcycle learner and licence scheme by introducing a pre-learner motorcycle licensing and training scheme within Queensland. The tasks undertaken for Deliverable 1 were a literature review, analysis of learner motorcyclist crash and licensing data, and the development of a potential pre-learner motorcycle rider program

Digitale Sammlungen und DINI-Zertifikat

Summann F. Digitale Sammlungen und DINI-Zertifikat. Presented at the KIM WS 2014, Universität Mannheim

The Human Serum Metabolome

Continuing improvements in analytical technology along with an increased interest in performing comprehensive, quantitative metabolic profiling, is leading to increased interest pressures within the metabolomics community to develop centralized metabolite reference resources for certain clinically important biofluids, such as cerebrospinal fluid, urine and blood. As part of an ongoing effort to systematically characterize the human metabolome through the Human Metabolome Project, we have undertaken the task of characterizing the human serum metabolome. In doing so, we have combined targeted and non-targeted NMR, GC-MS and LC-MS methods with computer-aided literature mining to identify and quantify a comprehensive, if not absolutely complete, set of metabolites commonly detected and quantified (with today's technology) in the human serum metabolome. Our use of multiple metabolomics platforms and technologies allowed us to substantially enhance the level of metabolome coverage while critically assessing the relative strengths and weaknesses of these platforms or technologies. Tables containing the complete set of 4229 confirmed and highly probable human serum compounds, their concentrations, related literature references and links to their known disease associations are freely available at http://www.serummetabolome.ca

A research based case study approach to the development of fleet safety interventions in large vehicle fleets

Due to relatively little research in Australia and overseas, there is increased attention being devoted to the area of fleet and work related road safety. This is in part due to an awareness of workplace health and safety issues and the overall impact that fleet related safety issues have on business effectiveness and road safety (Downs et al, 1999; Haworth et al, 2000). Historically costs associated with work related vehicle crashes have more often than not been calculated in terms of vehicle damage or write off costs. Murray, Newnam, Watson, Davey, Schonfeld (2003) suggest that the direct cost of crashes in terms of repairs is only the tip of the iceberg. In recent years changes in industry/employer accountability, business processes, OH&S, Workers Compensation legislation, insurance and third party coverage, and a generally a more litigious environment require industry to develop better benchmarking along with more comprehensive programs to improve fleet safety. There is currently only a small amount of work in this area and estimates of the true cost for work related crashes suggest that hidden costs may be somewhere between 8-36 times vehicle repair/replacement costs (Murray et al, 2003). Based solely on workers compensation data estimates of costs to Australian industry for work related crashes have been in the vicinity of $400 -$500 million per year (Wheatley, 1997). According to the Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics based on 1996 figures the average cost to society for a fatal crash is $1.7 million

The development of a brief driving diary intervention to improve fleet safety

Driver training and education initiatives are often considered the cornerstone of many organisational fleet safety approaches, however there is currently little evidence regarding the effectiveness of such interventions. Similarly, the evidence regarding the value of other programs such as driving incentives also remains mixed, as fleet managers search to identify cost-effective methods to reduce the burden of fleet crashes. This paper reports on the development and implementation of a driving diary within a fleet setting that aims to increase personal insight and safety through the identification of aberrant driving behaviours. The driving diary is based upon brief intervention techniques used successfully in the health care arena over the last twenty years, and thus the tool aims to reduce engagement in unsafe driving practices. The driving diary is currently being trialled with a large sample of fleet drivers in Queensland. Drivers are being asked to keep a driving diary for ten days, noting times and places associated with unsafe driving behaviour. A follow up survey and formative focus groups is underway to determine the relative effectiveness and utility of the intervention in a fleet setting. It is hoped the intervention will prove to be a time limited, low cost, evidenced-based tool that can influence behavioural change. In addition, it is anticipated the results of this project will add to the body of knowledge regarding fleet safety, particularly the driver behaviour change literature. This paper will further outline the major advantages and pitfalls associated with developing safety interventions within the fleet industry, as well as provide direction for future research-based initiatives